Method of forming fireproof slabs or boards.



l UNITEI) STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. WHEELER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO WILLIAM T. ELKINTON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF FORMING'FIREPROOF SLABS OR BOARDS.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES A. VHEELER, citizen of the United States, and resident of the city of New York, in the county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of Forming F ireproof Slabs or Boards, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to the class of building 1naterials which are formed of artificially united substances solidified to resist the strain exerted on it by the structure to which it is applied.

The object of this invention is to provide a building material which shall possess the aforesaid capacity in the hi hest degree and at the same time the capabllity of resisting tire or intense heat.

To that end the invention consists essentially of a solidified compound comprising Plo| 11 1t play as its basis combined with asbestps incorporated therewith, and a b ipdinv material commingled with said materials and permanently uniting the same, as hereinafter more fully explained and set forth in the claim.

In carrying out my invention, I use broken burned bricks, or the equivalent thereof consistlng of lips of ordinary claV burned in a suitable kiln to the arc ness o urne bricks.

I crush these burned lumps or broken bricks into small particles or into a pulverous condition by means of a suitable machine or apparatus. I then mix with said material a suitable amount of as -to` so as to efectually incorporate it erewl-h. I then add to said mixture a sufficient quantity of water and a suitable binding material, especlally silicate of soda and thoroughly stir the mass to convertit into plastic substance of proper consistency to allow it to be molded or formed into any desired shape according to the use for which it is intended. This molded article I prefer to harden and drv by placing it on a heated plate arrang a suitable press by the operation of which the material of the article is compressed.

In case the molded article is of the form of a slab or board suitable to serve as flooring, ceiling, or wainscoting and similar parts of a building, I place in the press a Specification of Letters Patent.

2 REIssUED//f-a Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

tier of the molded articles as shown in the accompanying drawing, in whicheP-.- denotes the press which may be of any suitable shape and construction.

--a-y-za-n represent a plurality of plates 60 which are hollow and are heated by steam admitted into the interiors of said plates. In placing the molded articles in the press, the first plate -ais disposed on the bed or base A- of the press, then a smooth metal sheet -J- is placed upon the said plate -0:, and upon the sheet. b is placed the molded article -c-, then a perforated metal sheet (Z- is placed upon the molded article -c-, the perforations of said sheet being formed with upwardly projecting edges or burs to allow steam to escape from the molded article. Upon the sheet -dis laid a sheet of wire-netting e to allow the aforesaid escaping steam to pass out laterally from the top of the sheet -fZ-. Upon this wire-netting is placed a smooth metal sheet -band upon this is placed the second heated plate -a-. In this manner the molded articles with intervening plates and sheets are successively disposed in a tier in the press and then by operating said press so as to cause the follower -C to press onto the top of the tier, the ent-ire tier of molded articles is subjected to the required pressure and heat to effectually harden and dry said articles.

In a press of the type here illust-rated, the pressure is obtained by the operation of the. screw -D working in a nut n attached to the head B of the press.

W'hat I claim as my invention is:

The method of forming fire-proof slabs or boards which consists in burning common clay to the requisite hardness and then crushing the same t0 a pulverous condition, then mixing with said material a suitable amount of asbestos, then adding to the mixture silicate of soda and water to produce a plastic substance, then molding the plastic 100 substance into the desired shape, and finally placingl the molded articles in a tier in a suitable press with intervening heated plates sheets of wire-netting, and subjecting the tier to the requisite pressure and heat to ef- 105 fectually harden and dry the said articles.

JAMES A. VHEELER. [1., s]

Witnesses:

WILLIAM B. BULL, GRACE BRENNAN. 

